The pope invoked the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, which he opened on Christmas Eve to launch the 2025 Jubilee, as representing God’s mercy.

Pilgrims lined up to walk through the great Holy Door at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome as Christmas marks the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration.

Pope Francis also remembered children suffering from war and hunger, the elderly living in solitude, those fleeing their homelands, who have lost their jobs, and are persecuted for their faith.

Pope Francis has opened the great Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. The ceremony kicks off the 2025 Holy Year.

Christmas message and blessing from the Vatican on Wednesday, calling for peace around the globe and an end to ongoing conflicts.The leader of the Roman Catholic Church mentioned the war between Russia and Ukraine directly and called for "the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation" during the address that serves as a summary of the woes facing the world this year.

Pope Francis prayed that the Jubilee Year may become “a season of hope” and reconciliation in a world at war and suffering humanitarian crises as he opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica on Christmas Eve.

In his traditional Christmas message on 25 December, Pope Francis mentioned the war in Ukraine, calling for an end to it and for negotiations for a just peace. Source: European Pravda Details: Pope Francis devoted two sentences of his Christmas message to the mention of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

Pope Francis called for an end to global wars and divisiveness in his annual Christmas Day message, given Wednesday. “This Christmas, at the beginning of the Jubilee Year, I invite every

Pope Francis in his Christmas message called for talks between Ukraine and Russia to end the war that followed Moscow's full-scale invasion two years ago.

In his traditional Christmas message, Pope Francis called for peace in Ukraine and an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The 88-year-old pontiff, marking the 12th Christmas of his papacy, also urged the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Pope Francis called Wednesday for an end to the war in Ukraine and for talks for a just peace as the country was pummelled by 170 Russian missiles and drones on Christmas morning.